10. Be pretty cool to be able to fight without a wand
Winter was beginning to show herself to shoppers in London. A light snow was falling gently and the sun was nearly gone as lamps began to shine in the growing darkness. Yet, despite the cold, people were out in droves. And for one particular woman, this was advantageous, because it meant she would likely go completely unnoticed.
Nineteen year old Pansy Parkinson, recent graduate of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the hood on her cloak a little bit to hide her face better. She was a very attractive young woman with midnight black hair, big bright blue eyes, and soft pouty pink lips. Normally a girl like that wouldn't mind being noticed, but pansy was doing everything within her power to hide herself.
She hefted the sack in her arms to position it better as she slipped through the throng of witches and wizards out shopping tonight. She really hadn't wanted to go into Knockturn Alley, but it was the only place that she knew of where she could get Erumpent horn, and she had really needed the volatile substance. She had paid far too much for it she was certain, but her eventual freedom was priceless in her opinion.
Pansy let out a small sigh of relief when she joined the bustling shopping crowds of Diagon Alley. It was nearing dinner time, and the crowds were at their peak for the day. She'd be hard to follow thanks to the mass of people who flooded the alley at this time of day. And thanks to her growing paranoia, she was certain there was someone right now watching her every move.
"Haven't I suffered enough?" She asked herself for what she was sure the one hundred millionth time.
She pushed all other thoughts out of her mind for now. She had to escape the alley with her packages as soon as possible. She also had to do so without appearing that she was trying to evade anyone who may or may not be following her.
Her mistake had been not paying attention to where she was going. With her eyes on the ground she was very nearly knocked to the ground when she collided with someone rather sturdy. All she could think of was how catastrophic things were about to become when she felt a hand grab her arm and steady her. She hadn't fallen, and even better, the hand that had grabbed her released her as soon as she was steady on her feet again.
All at once Pansy felt anger boil within her, and she was set to curse out whomever had nearly killed her and who knew how many others. And then she looked up into dark brown eyes. Eyes that had once haunted her dreams.
Her heart leapt into her throat as she saw Neville Longbottom smile apologetically at her.
"I'm sorry." He said. "I wasn't watching where I was going."
"It's alright." Pansy stammered as she felt her face heating up. "Excuse me."
Pansy almost sprinted away, but managed to control herself. She hadn't laid eyes on Neville Longbottom since they had both graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry back in June. In the last few months, he had somehow become more attractive than she had thought he had been in school, though she wasn't sure how that could have been possible. He looked leaner than she remembered, and his hair had a sort of devil may care style happening. As if he'd ridden a broom to the shopping district, and hadn't bothered to comb it again.
She had thought she had gotten over her crush on him, or at least buried her feelings so deep as to never be uncovered ever again. And yet, when she had come face to face with her school girl crush, all those feelings and nearly erupted out of her chest. She was finding it difficult to breathe as she glanced over her shoulder to catch one last glimpse of him only to find he was already lost among the hundreds of late shoppers.
For the briefest of moments Pansy allowed herself to imagine having the freedom she had been denied as a girl. The very freedom she was working on securing for herself now. Perhaps, if she managed to succeed, she would write to Neville, and tell him all the things she had locked inside for so long. And maybe he would respond in kind. And perhaps after so much pain in her life, she might find true happiness.
Pansy scoffed at the thought. She hadn't been brave enough to talk to Neville while they had been in school. How could she even think she'd be brave enough to write him a letter now. Besides, the last she had heard, Neville was with that insufferable Hannah Abbott. She was a bubble headed party girl, and Pansy felt Neville deserved a girl with more substance.
But she didn't have time to think about that. She had to get home before someone else bumped into her, and made the Erumpent horn slivers explode and take out half the shopping district. Thoughts of her school crush would just have to wait until she was out of danger, and frankly, Pansy had no idea if that was ever going to happen.
Neville watched the woman slip past him, a vague feeling of recognition in his mind. Once she was gone however, he let it drop and continued his stroll down Diagon Alley. He wasn't here for anything in particular, other than to see how things had grown in the time since Voldemort's second downfall. Though he wasn't convinced the Dark Wizard was truly vanquished, it was nice to see commerce returning again. The last time he had been here had been just before his sixth year at Hogwarts, and it had been very nearly deserted. He had gotten his school supplies for his seventh year all by Owl Order. But now it was almost bursting with people, and it made Neville smile slightly.
As he strolled, and glanced in the shop windows, he felt a small bit of sadness. During his travels abroad, he'd gone to more than a few magical shopping districts that had truly astounded him. Not only in the variety of wares that had been offered, but at how much more modern they had been. Neville's Grandmother had often commented on how stuck magical Britain was, but he hadn't really understood it until he'd seen it for himself. Change and innovation were not things that British magicals really openly embraced. Not like America, or China. Even most of Europe seemed more enlightened in many ways.
Still, this was his home, and he loved it, warts and all.
As he wandered about, stopping in to old favorites like Quality Quidditch Supplies, and Madam Malkin's, Neville couldn't help but remember past visits to Diagon Alley with old school friends. He wondered where those friends were now, and if he might run into a friendly face tonight. His grandmother had done her best to get him up to speed since his return, but he wanted to know more.
He hadn't kept in touch with any of his school friends since graduating, and had been traveling since the day he left Hogwarts, hunting for any clue as to the whereabouts of Harry Potter, the boy who the world believed dead. Neville had been brought up to believe that the last Potter wasn't dead, but actually in hiding. His Grandmother had been an ally to the Potters, as had Neville's parents. Augusta Longbottom believed that Sirius Black had not been the one to betray to Potters, and had taken Harry after his parents had been killed, and fled England, though she never had anything to support this theory.
When Neville had questioned her theory though, Augusta had claimed that Harry had not been buried with his parents like most people believed. She had also claimed that she had learned from a very reliable source that Potter had been alive that fateful Halloween night after the Potter home had been destroyed and the Dark Wizard known as Voldemort had been vanquished. However, Neville's grandmother claimed that she believed that source had later been obliviated to keep the truth hidden and that she was lucky that no one knew that she knew.
Augusta had wanted Neville to be the one to find Potter and Black, and bring them back to England, especially when Voldemort had risen from the dead when Neville had finished his fourth year at Hogwarts. She had told Neville that only Harry potter would be able to end Voldemort once and for all. When Neville asked her why, Augusta said that she believed that it was his destiny, and that was why he was not dead like the world believed. She had also said that it was Neville's destiny to return Harry Potter to his home, and that the two were linked.
But on this matter, Augusta Longbottom was always silent. Neville had asked too many times to count, but his grandmother was never moved to explain herself. The only hint he ever got was that it was the reason Neville's parents had died while they had protected him when he was a baby.
Neville had always been curious about this so called connection to Potter, and had asked his Uncle Algie, who he had believed was the smartest man he'd ever known, even after attending Hogwarts under Albus Dumbledore. Algie however had also refused to explain things to Neville. Algie would only ever say that it wasn't his place to speak on the matter. Neville later learned that he had taken the Unbreakable Vow to remain silent.
And so it left only one option. Find Potter and learn the reason why his parents had died, and what connected Neville to Harry.
But Neville had suffered for his belief in his Grandmother. He'd been ostracized in school whenever the matter came up.
"How could an infant defeat a powerful dark wizard?"
"Where could he have gone where the Aurors couldn't find him?"
"How could we not know if he was really alive? He was buried with his parents!"
He'd endure these questions and so many more and he had never been able to adequately answer any of them. He'd been called names, and even physically hurt over his beliefs. And yet his belief had never wavered. Well, his belief in his grandmother. His own belief in Potter's well-being had gone from true unwavering to extremely skeptical over the years.
But then he began to discover clues to the truth when he'd left England right after graduation. He'd agreed to go on the trip that was to be fully funded by his Grandmother because it meant a real chance to see the world. Something he'd wanted to do ever since the Tri-Wizard Tournament, and meeting students from France and Bulgaria. His original intent was to spend time being young and free while abroad, and maybe ask a few questions if the topic ever came up.
But in his first stop in France, he'd gotten his first clue, and it began to look as if his Grandmother had been right all along.
It had been while he'd been in Calias. He'd been in a pub, and overheard a conversation about the trouble in Britain which had just ended with Dumbledore facing Voldemort. The patrons raised their glasses to Dumbledore, and thanked him for keeping Voldemort out of France and Europe as a whole. And then, one of the men had reflected on Sirius Black and when he'd been there sixteen years earlier, and how the man had gotten extremely drunk and had also praised Dumbledore.
Neville had questioned the men, and bought them more drinks, and had learned that Black had left for Belgium three nights later. And so it had begun.
Neville had followed Sirius black's trail through Belgium, The Netherlands, and into Norway before turning back and going into Germany, Eastern Europe and Russia. North America had turned out to be the most fruitful lead. It was there that he had learned that not only had Black been in and around Salem Massachusetts, but he'd been seen often with a young boy. The trail had led to Brazil, and then Egypt and Sudan and Kenya. He had then found himself back in Eastern Europe with plans to head to Asia when his Grandmother had summoned him home.
Neville had never discovered what Black had been doing while in any of the places he'd been, and for the most part hardly anyone could remember him, except for the women. Black had left quite an impression on more than a few ladies. Some good… some not so much. The only thing they had all agreed on was that Black had been extremely mysterious and secretive.
Neville was pulled from his reflections as he approached a very garish storefront. He stared in wide eyed wonder as he'd only ever heard about this store as it had been dreamed of. But here it was fully realized. Weasley Wizarding Wheezes.
Neville's smile nearly split his face as he all but sprinted inside.
The Weasley twins, Fred and George, had been two years ahead of Neville in school, and had been a never ceasing source of frivolity. This talent to bring about hilarity had been much appreciated when Voldemort had returned from the dead in Neville's fifth year. But the twins were also well known for their contributions to the war. They'd gained major fame for their shield hats and cloaks. Neville had heard that the twins had been contracted by the Ministry to develop and provide other offensive and defensive tools for the war.
The shop was overflowing with patrons, and Neville grinned as he took it all in. There were so many things to look at that it actually started to hurt Neville's brain. There were brilliant displays, and dozens of advertisements for products, and everywhere there were smiling and laughing faces.
Neville headed for the counter intent on talking to the store's proprietors. If anyone would be able to fill him in on the things he wanted to learn about, it would be Fred and George Weasley.
Neville stopped though when he saw a rack of Shield cloaks. The twins were selling their defensive items to the public now. Neville wondered if they had brokered a deal with the ministry, or if they had come up with something better for the Aurors which allowed the cloaks to be used by the everyday witch or wizard.
There was no sign of either Weasley twin at the moment, but the shop was so full, even the brilliant red hair that was the signature trait for all the Weasley family members, would have been difficult to spot among the many clients. But Neville wasn't completely unlucky as when he did manage to get up to the counter he came face to face with someone who he knew quite well, and might be able to provide him with at least some information.
Tall, lanky with a long nose, and Weasley red hair, Ron Weasley's face lit up when he spotted his former Gryffindor year mate.
"Neville!" Ron smiled brightly. "Good to see ya mate! How ya been?"
"Hey Ron, what are you doing here?" Neville asked. "I thought you were going out for the Chudley Cannons?"
"I did." Ron smiled, though Neville noticed it didn't reach his eyes. "Put on a good showing too, but they're taking their time deciding, I guess. Did you get to travel like you were talking about?"
"I just got back actually. I would've been still abroad, but Gran called me home." Neville said. "How's Ginny?"
Ron's smile darkened a bit, and Neville wanted to laugh. Neville and Ginny had dated for a while back when Ginny was in her third year and Neville in his fourth. They had gotten along rather well for a while, but Ginny broke things off after a few months. She was looking for something more from the guys she dated, and in her words, Neville wasn't it. Though the two had remained very good friends. Much to Ron's displeasure. He was always very protective of his baby sister, even though she was clearly much more capable than Ron appeared to be.
"She's still in school, of course. She and Luna did some traveling this past summer. Mum was going spare about it, but Dad said she was responsible enough to go. Plus, she'd saved all that gold for years." Ron stated, and Neville gave a nod.
"So where'd you get to after school?" Ron asked. "Oh wait, do you have plans for dinner? I just got paid, so if you want we could go to the Leaky Cauldron. There's this girl who works there that I'm trying to get to know. What do you say?"
Neville agreed, and Ron called for a girl named Verity to take over for him. Verity didn't look happy about it, but Ron didn't pay it any mind as he sprinted into the back to grab his cloak. A few moments later, Neville followed a chattering Ron through the crowds to the infamous pub.
"… only temporary really. I only started working there because Mum was so worried about me after the Aurors declined my application. But I didn't really want to catch Dark wizards anyway. I mean it isn't all danger and intrigue. There's loads of paperwork you have to keep up with. I don't want to spend my life behind a desk. And I only applied so mum would stop nagging me, you know? The twins weren't happy about hiring me either, and they made me work a lot at first, but then they started backing off. They told Dad it was because I kept breaking things, and taking long lunches and stuff, but I think they did it because Mum said they were working me too hard" Ron was saying over his shoulder. Neville just gave a noise that he was listening.
Neville had learned a long time ago that Ron Weasley was one of the laziest wizards ever. How he had graduated Hogwarts with the rest of the class was still stunning. It was well known that Ron had talent, and could be great if he applied himself. He was just not interested in hard work. If Neville had to guess, he believed that Ron was working in his brothers' shop because his parents had forced him upon them.
The two young men found their way to the Leaky Cauldron, and Ron deflated a bit when he saw that the girl he was sweet on wasn't working. Still, the two got a table and ordered some food.
"Not really surprised she's not here. I think she switched her shift so she could be home before dark. I've heard a lot of people are doing that because their afraid of that vigilante bloke. Have you heard about him?" Ron asked.
"Gran mentioned something about it." Neville remarked. Ron gave a small shudder.
"They say he's been seen most in Diagon Alley. Fred reckons he's a vampire because all the people he's killed have been found drained of blood. George thinks it might be Snape getting back at his former Death Eater buddies for killing Dumbledore. I saw Seamus and Dean last week, and they think it's just some crazy idiot trying to get himself killed. Dean says it's someone who read too many muggle comic books." Ron said.
"I heard he saved a couple of witches here just the other night." Neville mentioned. Ron shrugged his shoulders.
"Yeah I saw the paper too. But I also heard he attacked them and the Aurors stopped him, and he might be the one actually killing those other girls and tattooing them. I don't know, but it's scary. I saw in the paper that he attacked Hermione Granger. Why anyone would go after her is beyond me." Ron chuckled. Neville refrained from replying. He wanted to stay away from an hour long tirade of why Hermione Granger was a horribly sad person. Especially given that Neville liked Hermione. She'd always been nice to him in school.
"Do you know who was attacked in Diagon Alley?" Neville pressed. Ron only shrugged.
"They didn't release the names, but I heard that it was Susan Bones." Ron said as he waved down the pub's owner so they could order.
"Bill is dating an Auror. She's weird. Got pink hair. Anyway, she was round for dinner last week, and Dad asked about the investigation on the dead girls, and about something that had happened, and Tonks, that's the Auror, she said that Susan's name was being kept out of the papers because Madam Bones put a hush order on it."
"Has anyone seen the so-called vigilante? Other than Aurors I mean?" Neville asked as their food arrived.
Ron shrugged.
"I've heard people say they'd seen him, but I don't know if they're telling the truth or not. Tonks says she saw him in Diagon Alley and that he was really fast. Said he dresses in dragonhide and can use magic without a wand. Dad thinks he might have used a really short wand so it looked like he was doing magic without one, but Tonks says his hands were open. I think she's barking. Even Dumbledore couldn't do wandless magic, right?" Ron asked, looking disbelievingly at what he'd just told Neville.
"Be pretty cool to be able to fight without a wand." Neville said thoughtfully.
"No kidding." Ron agreed. "Man if I could do that the Aurors never would have turned me down. Well, that and if Snape hadn't been such a great ass and actually taught us potions. I still am shocked that you kept taking Potions after fifth year. The man lived to torture you." Ron stated. Neville only shrugged.
"As awful as he was, he really helped me to learn how to work under pressure. You know I actually wrote to thank him after we graduated. I've no idea if he got my letter." Neville said. Ron looked surprised by this.
"You think he's still alive?" Ron wondered. Again Neville gave a shrug.
"No idea." He said staring over Ron's shoulder at the door to the Muggle World. It was no secret that the long time potions master of Hogwarts had disappeared shortly after the duel between Voldemort and Dumbledore. A story in the Daily Prophet revealed that Snape had been a spy during both wars, first for Lord Voldemort, and then for Dumbledore. It was believed that Snape had been killed by Voldemort's followers after the great duel.
"I kind of hope that he is." Neville said after a long time.
"Really?" Ron looked surprised. "Not me. I hope if he's still alive he's in serious pain and begging for death. Bastard."
Neville only sat there. Ron wasn't really someone you argued with. It was always waste of time. Ron changed to subject and the two discussed more trivial things, most of them having to do with how unfair Ron's life was. Through it all, Neville was thinking how he would need to reach out to Hermione Granger, and Susan Bones who may have actually seen the vigilante, and might be able to give Neville some clue about where and how to look for him.
Little did Neville know, Hermione Granger was currently in Diagon Alley along with Tracey Davis. The two girls were bundled up against the cold as they maneuvered through the crowds. Hermione held a folded piece of parchment in her hands where she had written an address that was the destination for Tracey and herself.
"I still say we should have sent a letter." Tracey said, holding onto Hermione's arm so they wouldn't be separated.
"And I told you, given everything it's better if we just go talk to them in person." Hermione argued, though she was smiling softly. "This way."
Hermione led Tracey past Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream parlor and past Quality Quidditch Supplies. They turned into a small nook next to Gambol and Japes where there was a door that led to a lobby and stirs to flats above the store. Hermione led the way to the fourth floor and down the hall to number 417.
Hermione knocked three times and was rewarded with the sound of locks clicking.
"Granger?" Hannah Abbott asked with wide eyed surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"We came to talk to you and Susan.' Hermione explained. She turned and unfolded the parchement in her hand and held it up to show Hannah. "It's about this."
Hannah started to shut the door. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"We have it too." Tracey said quickly. Hannah stopped and stared at them. There was fear in her eyes. Hermione could see it plainly.
"I was attacked too." Hermione said gently. "We both were."
Hannah looked at Hermione and then Tracey for a moment before she stepped back and allowed them entrance. She then closed and locked the door behind them.
"This is really nice." Tracey said looking around the flat. "I wish I could afford a place like this. My place is a shoebox."
"Susan's Aunt helped us out with it. My Parents did too. They wanted us to be close to our jobs and not out in Muggle London like we wanted to be." Hannah said. "Have a seat, I'm going to go get Susan."
Hermione and Tracey took off their coats and sat down. Hermione agreed with Tracey. The flat was quite spacious and comfortable. It was much bigger than her own place, and much more luxurious. The sofa she and Tracey sat on was very comfortable, and Hermione couldn't help imagine curling up on it with a good book.
A few minutes later, Hannah returned followed by Susan Bones who was in a dressing gown, and toweling her long red hair. Hermione could see both girls were still trying to process what had happened to them. She and Tracey had read about another attack in Diagon Alley. No names had been mentioned in the article, but Hermione had noticed Hannah Abbott's face in the picture of the aftermath. She had been in the background, and there was an Auror trying to block her from having her photograph taken, but they hadn't done a great job.
Tracey and Hermione had agreed that it was a good idea to go talk to Hannah and find out if she had been marked as they were, and maybe they could discover why they were being targeted.
"Hannah said you were both attacked." Susan said bluntly.
"We were both attacked just before Halloween by Death Eaters." Hermione said keeping the details vague for now. She didn't think Tracey wanted her personal life out there just yet. For now it was enough that they had both been attacked because of the mark.
"And it was because of the…' Hannah said, pointing awkwardly at her left side. Tracey rolled her eyes and turned, lifting her shirt and bra to reveal her mark. Hannah and Susan both gasped and Hermione nodded when they looked at her.
"For some reason we all have this thing and…" She began.
"I don't." Susan said quickly. "I don't have it. I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"You're lucky then." Tracey grimaced.
"The Death Eaters are after us because of this thing." Hermione pushed onward. "We need figure out what it is, and why it showed up out of the blue. Hannah, do you remember when you first noticed the mark?"
"A few months ago, I guess. After we graduated." She said.
"Yeah, that's what I thought." Hermione nodded.
"Do you think this is related to those girls who showed up all drained of blood and tattooed?" Susan asked. "My Aunt is really freaked out and she is putting us under Auror protection."
"I think it is." Hermione said grimly. "But like I said, I don't know why."
"So there are probably more of us out there." Hannah said, sitting up a bit. "More girls like us who have this mark."
"There has to be." Tracey agreed. "There have been three girls who have been killed, and there are three of us here now with this mark. It only makes sense that there are others out there, which means we need to try and find them and warn them."
"There's at least one more for sure." Hermione said thoughfully.
"Who?" Susan and Hannah asked. Hermione could only shrug.
"I just know that there's one more out there, and she was attacked somewhere close to Diagon Alley in Muggle London somewhere. We were going to try and find her today, but then we saw the article in the Daily Prophet about what happened to you two, and figured we should come speak to you."
"When you two were attacked… did he come?" Susan asked curiously. "The guy with the bow?"
"I wasn't so lucky." Tracey sighed heavily. "But, I also wasn't attacked by a group. I was attacked by my former boyfriend."
"You were dating a Death Eater?" Hannah asked in shock.
"I didn't know he was at the time." Tracey snapped defensively.
"He did come to help me." Hermione said cutting off a potential awkward situation. "And then he came to see me a few nights ago to ask me about the mark. He knows the Death Eaters are hunting us, and he's the one who told me about the other girl. I think he wants us together."
"Who is he?" Susan asked. "He was so fast, and he took out a bunch of those arseholes by himself before the Aurors arrived. I mean I was really drunk and even I could see how powerful he was."
"Not to mention sexy." Hannah remarked. "He was really working that leather."
"I don't know who he is." Hermione said quickly, remembering why she really didn't like hanging out with most other girls in school. "But I think he's really powerful too. I swear I saw him performing wandless magic."
"Wait, what?" Tracey looked stunned. Susan and Hannah both looked gobsmacked as well. "Are you sure? I mean, wandless magic? Not even Dumbledore could do it. It's like… impossible."
"He conjured a ball of light in his palm, and I didn't see a wand, and I was really looking. Now, it was dark and all, but… I didn't see a wand." Hermione stated.
"So there's a some super powerful guy out there taking out Death Eaters." Hannah said looking troubled. "And he thinks it's a good idea for us to find any other marked girls?"
"That's what it sounds like to me." Tracey nodded.
"Then why are we sitting here?" Susan asked. "I saw what he did. He saved our lives. If he thinks we need to find the others… then we should find the others."
"Hold on there Red.' Tracey held up a hand. "We don't know how to do that, do we? All we know is that there is one other girl who was attacked in muggle London. We don't know who she is, or where she is. We don't even know…"
"We know she's nineteen.' Hermione said suddenly. "I'm nineteen, Tracey you're nineteen. The dead girls were all nineteen…"
"How do you know that?" Susan asked.
"An Auror came down a while ago and asked for the names and addresses of all the girls in magical Britain who were nineteen or about to be." Hermione said with a small triumphant smile.
"I'm nineteen." Hannah nodded.
"And once again I feel left out." Susan lamented. "I won't be nineteen until May."
"Yeah because this is all so thrilling." Hannah rolled her eyes. "Say we do find this other girl, or any others… then what are we supposed to do?"
"That's a good question." Tracey looked to Hermione. "What are we supposed to do now?"
Hermione actually started. She didn't know. She had no answer for anything. And what was worse is she had no indication on where to look for answers. This was an extremely difficult puzzle to solve, especially as she had virtually nothing and no one to help her figure it out.
And then she realized that there was someone who had told her that she wasn't alone, and he might know a bit more. Someone who might be able to give them all some guidance or at least point them in a direction, and she was set to meet him again in a few days.
"Can you lot come to my place Sunday night?" Hermione asked Susan and Hannah. "Around ten or so that night?"
"Why so late?" Tracey asked.
"Because there's someone who might be able to answers some of our questions." Hermione said as she stood up and got her coat. "And I don't think he's a daylight kind of guy."
"What?" Hannah looked puzzled.
"The vigilante." Tracey said her eyes wide. "He's coming to your place, isn't he?"
Hermione nodded and Susan suddenly looked rather intrigued. Tracey on the other hand looked a little unhappy. Hannah got to her feet, wrapping her arms around herself
"Alright." Hannah nodded. "I want to know what's going on and I want it to be over with. Count me in."
"I know I'm not one of you, but Hannah's family." Susan said proudly. "I'm not letting her face this without me."
"Okay." Tracey said following Hermione's lead and getting her coat. "So between now and then, I think it might be a good idea if we get a hold of that list you gave that Auror. Maybe we can find some more of our sisters."
"Agreed." Hermione nodded.
A short distance away, Lisa Turpin was staring at the front page of the Daily Prophet. According to the article, two girls had been attacked by the Death Eaters. The article stated that the girls were rescued by Aurors, but Lisa felt as if there was more to the story. She'd read the article three times now, and it felt like things were being omitted.
According to the article, the girls had been attacked by no less than six Death Eaters. Lisa remembered being attacked by just two, and not being able to fight them that well. Now Lisa didn't know who it was that was attacked because the article didn't mention the victim's anywhere, but it did say the girls were both recent graduates of Hogwarts. "Lisa could only think of maybe three witches who she thought would be more than capable of fighting off Death Eaters until Aurors could arrive… if someone was able to summon them. And one of those girls had already been attacked a month earlier.
She was sure that someone had intervened before the Aurors, and the Prophet was keeping it quiet. In fact, Lisa was positive that the paper was doing its damnedest not to mention the man in black at all.
A series of knocks on her door broke her out of her thoughts and Lisa went to open the door for Mandy who was supposed to be bringing dinner. The two had been getting together as often as they could to try and discover the origin of the mark they both bore on the left sides. So far they only thing that they seemed to agree on was that the mark was that of a coven.
Mandy had learned that ages ago, witches who gathered in covens would identify each other by a mark. Sometimes this was a mark of power that would unite them. A way to channel their magic through one another.
The problem was that the witches agreed on the mark and would tattoo it themselves. The marks that they both bore had just appeared.
"Hey, sorry it took so long. There was a really long line." Mandy said as Lisa opened the door.
"It's fine, I was just reading the paper." Lisa replied.
"I got a supreme, and then just a veggie and cheese." Mandy said as she set the two large pizza boxes on the table right on top of the Daily Prophet. "And I got some soda."
"Someone was attacked the other night in Diagon Alley, and I think it was for the same reason that I was." Lisa said and Mandy stopped and stared at her best friend. "There's something bigger going on here Mandy, and we're right in the center of it. I think it's only a matter of time before I'm attacked again… or someone comes for you."
"What else can we do?" Mandy asked looking very worried.
"Well for starters, we need to stay together as much as we can. When we're not at our jobs, we need to watch out for each other. You could have been taken while you were getting the pizza. It was stupid for you to go by yourself, and stupid of me not to go with you. We can't make stupid mistakes like that." Lisa said as she ran her hands through her honey blonde hair. "And I think we need to try and find the other girls who were attacked."
"The paper didn't say who it was." Mandy pointed out.
"No it didn't.' Lisa greed. "But we know someone who was attacked a month ago. Hermione Granger. I think we need to get in touch with her and find out if it was random… or if she…'
"Has the mark." Mandy nodded. "Do you know where she lives?"
"No, but you could find out." Lisa said. "You work in the Ministry, you could go to the hall of records and get that information, couldn't you?"
"I'll need a reason. They don't just give out that information. That's a violation." Mandy shrugged. "But I might be able to come up with something that would get me authorization."
"Whatever you have to do." Lisa sighed. "We're getting nowhere on our own, and I don't know what else we can do. We're out of options here."
"Okay." Mandy said in agreement. "Okay. Tomorrow I'll figure a way to get Granger's address and we'll write to her."
"No… we need to talk to her face to face." Lisa said adamantly. "This is too important to wait for an owl. It'll be faster to just go see her ourselves."
Mandy nodded. Lisa was right. They were getting nowhere, and Granger was the smartest witch in their class. Hell, Hermione Granger was the smartest witch in an age. There wasn't anything her brilliant mind couldn't figure out. All the Ravenclaws had been rather jealous of her mind while they'd been in school. So much so that some of them had made her life hell for a couple of years. But Granger hadn't really let it bother her. The only person who ever managed to get under her skin had been Draco Malfoy who took some sort of cruel pleasure in mentally and emotionally torturing Granger. And word was that Malfoy had been among the Death Eaters who had attacked Granger a month ago, and she had cleaned his clock and gotten him taken into Auror custody.
"And what if she can't help us, or isn't marked like you think?" Mandy asked.
Lisa could only stare at her best friend with empty eyes.